Dubbed southern films lose steam with north viewers

livemint.com:

RRR, Pushpa, and KGF: Chapter 2, which initially found favour with north Indian audiences, is waning. According to a recent report by multiplex operator PVR Inox, the share of Hindi (dubbed) content has fallen from 28% in Q1 FY23 to just 7% in Q1 FY24. This shift is attributed to a mix of audience fatigue with Hollywood movies, including the Marvel series, as well as fewer south Indian films having nationwide popularity compared to FY23, said industry experts.

“After the successful run of Kantara last year, southern films dubbed in Hindi haven’t worked despite a lot of anticipation for Pushpa 2. Much of the excitement has subsided and in many cases, viewers felt the lack of value for money," Pranav Garg, MD at a two-screen cinema in Muzaffarnagar Maya Palace, said. Mass-market films from the South are frequently shown on TV and are also available on digital platforms, Garg said, adding it doesn’t make sense to watch them in theatres with high ticket and food prices.

Over the past six months, southern films like Vijay-starrer Varisu and Chiranjeevi’s Waltair Veeraayya have released in Hindi, but failed to create a buzz despite clocking impressive results in their home states. The Hindi version of Ponniyin Selvan-2 too made around ₹17 crore, less than the ₹25 crore earned by the first part. Even Rajinikanth’s Jailer that released on the 15 August weekend, managed limited shows in Hindi, with Bollywood titles Gadar 2 and OMG 2 already competing for screens.